Hummmm—
Suddenly, the two rings of light transformed, each giving rise to a formation. The formations were identical.
Both Chu Feng and Tao Wu could see that they couldn't enter the same formation simultaneously. This was a trial designed specifically for the two of them — they had to split up, each stepping into a separate formation, even competing against one another.
Only one of them could claim that divine soul.
At the same time, they could both tell that these formations were extraordinarily dangerous. The slightest misstep could cost them their lives.
"Hssss—"
Even Tao Wu drew in a sharp breath upon seeing the formations.
He then turned to look at Chu Feng.
"Little Brother Chu Feng, I won't lie to you. It's not that I'm afraid you'll compete with me for the divine soul — it's just that these formations are far too dangerous. I urge you to think carefully before acting."
"I appreciate the warning, Senior. But since I've come all this way, I'd like to give it a try. What about you, Senior?"
Chu Feng smiled as he looked at Tao Wu.
"Fortune favors the bold. Besides, I'm not so easily scared of death."
With that, Tao Wu also looked at Chu Feng.
"Little Brother Chu Feng, don't you hold back on me. My strength is considerable, you know."
"And you shouldn't hold back either, Senior. We're not fighting for ourselves — we both need to give it our all."
Chu Feng said.
"Good."
Tao Wu laughed heartily.
The two were clearly competitors, yet neither treated the other as an enemy, nor did either intend to go easy. They didn't want the other to get hurt, but they would both give everything they had.
This was camaraderie — and respect.
With that, Chu Feng and Tao Wu stepped into the formations together.
These formations had no restrictions whatsoever — no realm requirements, no need to set up arrays. They relied solely on technique. So neither Chu Feng nor Tao Wu needed to release the barrier energy sealed upon them.
However, even though Chu Feng's barrier energy surpassed Tao Wu's, it gave him no real advantage — unless his technique could exceed Tao Wu's.
The two vanished into their respective formations, completely cut off from what was happening outside.
As for Xue Ji, from her perspective, she was simply standing inside a vast, empty hall. The wall that appeared as transparent glass from Chu Feng and Tao Wu's viewpoints looked like just another ordinary wall from where she stood, no different from the rest. Naturally, she couldn't see them.
"What kind of place is this?"
Xue Ji frowned, her expression displeased.
She had gone through countless hardships to reach this point, and she had finally thought she would reap some reward — only to find that while the hall was certainly spacious enough, there was absolutely nothing inside.
Had she come all this way for nothing?
Hummmm—
Suddenly, the barrier gate behind her rippled.
Xue Ji turned around cautiously, and sure enough, thirty-nine Spirits stepped through the barrier gate one after another.
These were all Spirits — men and women alike — hailing from the Demon Spirit World, the Immortal Spirit World, the Buddhist Spirit World, the Monster Spirit World, the Beast Spirit World, and the Ghost Spirit World.
The only world not represented was the Asura Spirit World.
"Little girl from the Asura Spirit World — would you like to follow this Immortal?"
The one at the front was a woman from the Immortal Spirit World.
She was strikingly beautiful, with an otherworldly bearing — she truly looked like a celestial being descended to the mortal realm. But her demeanor was arrogant, conceited, and utterly condescending. Even as she appraised Xue Ji, she did so with a sideways glance.
Yet her strength was formidable. The aura she radiated made the entire hall tremble and rumble.
Her cultivation had reached the terrifying level of an eighth-rank half-god.
So her arrogance was well-founded.
From the reactions of the other Spirits, it was clear they had already chosen to follow this female Spirit from the Immortal Spirit World — after all, she was truly powerful enough.
"Follow you? Are you worthy?"
But faced with such a powerful Spirit from the Immortal Spirit World, Xue Ji looked utterly dismissive. Even though her opponent was vastly stronger, that person still didn't merit a second glance.
Xue Ji's attitude naturally caused the Immortal Spirit World woman's willowy brows to knit together, her gaze turning hostile.
"You wretched bitch — are you getting too big for your boots? A mere Martial Venerable realm nobody from the Asura Spirit World, and you dare act arrogant?"
Before the Immortal Spirit World woman could even speak, a brawny man from the Demon Spirit World behind her piped up.
This man was no weakling either — not only did demonic energy surge around him, but he radiated the cultivation of a seventh-rank half-god.
"Do you even know who we are?"
"I am the chief Spirit of Daoist Dragon Nine, and she… is the chief Spirit of Daoist Dragon Eight."
"What do you think you are? A insignificant little Spirit from the Asura Spirit World, and you dare refuse us?"
The Demon Spirit World brute was utterly uncouth, launching straight into a torrent of profanity.
But rather than angering Xue Ji, his tirade actually made her smile.
Her smile left all the Spirits stunned.
"Why is she laughing?"
None of them could understand, because her smile didn't look like fear at all.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, Xue Ji's figure vanished.
Uwaaah—
At the same time, the Demon Spirit World Spirit who had been cursing her let out a blood-curdling scream.